Image forming apparatus that establishes short-range wireless communication between the image forming apparatus and an external device

ABSTRACT

An image forming apparatus includes a first casing, a second casing, a support portion, an indication, and a USB port. The first casing includes a sheet discharge tray disposed at a top surface thereof. The indication is located at a portion of one of the top surface of the first casing and the support portion, and is positioned outside the sheet discharge tray in a width direction. The portion is located closer to one end of the image forming apparatus in the width direction than the other end of the image forming apparatus opposite to the one end in the width direction. The USB port is disposed at a portion of one of the second casing and the support portion closer to the one end than the other end in the width direction, and is located at a different position in an up-down direction from the indication.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/795,671, filed Feb. 20, 2020 and claims priorityunder 35 U.S.C. § 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-038858filed on Mar. 4, 2019, the entireties of which are incorporated hereinby reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Aspects of the disclosure relate to an image forming apparatus.

BACKGROUND

A known image forming apparatus is configured to perform short-rangewireless communication with an external device, such as an IC card and asmartphone, in compliance with, for example, a near field communication(“NFC”) technology. The known image forming apparatus has a portion towhich an external device is brought into proximity for short-rangewireless communication. The portion can be seen from above withoutobstruction.

SUMMARY

In recent years, some image forming apparatuses include a universalserial bus (“USB”) port for communication with a USB device, such as aUSB memory. Typically, the USB port is located at a front or a sidesurface of an image forming apparatus for user's convenience. Some imageforming apparatuses include both a portion to which an external deviceis brought into proximity for short-range wireless communication, and aUSB port. The portion and the USB port need to be readily identifiable.

Aspects of the disclosure provide an image forming apparatus including aportion to which an external device configured to perform short-rangewireless communication is to be brought into proximity and a USB portthat are readily identifiable.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosure, an image formingapparatus comprises a first casing, a second casing, a support portion,an indication, and a USB port. The first casing houses an image formingunit configured to form an image on a sheet. The first casing includes asheet discharge tray disposed at a top surface thereof. The sheetdischarge tray is configured to support the sheet discharged by adischarge roller. The second casing is disposed above the first casing.The second casing houses an image scanner configured to scan an image ona document. The support portion is disposed at the top surface of thefirst casing such that the support portion raises the second casing. Thesupport portion partially defines an opening that enables an access tothe sheet discharged on the sheet discharge tray. The indication islocated at a portion of one of the top surface of the first casing andthe support portion. The indication is positioned outside the sheetdischarge tray in a width direction perpendicular to a dischargingdirection of the sheet by the discharge roller. The portion is locatedcloser to one end of the image forming apparatus in the width directionthan the other end of the image forming apparatus opposite to the oneend in the width direction. The indication indicates a location to whichan external device is to be brought into proximity to establishshort-range wireless communication between the image forming apparatusand the external device. The USB port is disposed at a portion of one ofthe second casing and the support portion closer to the one end than theother end in the width direction. The USB port is located at a differentposition in an up-down direction from the indication.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosure, an image formingapparatus comprises a first casing, a second casing, a support portion,and a third casing. The first casing houses an image forming unitconfigured to form an image on a sheet. The first casing includes asheet discharge tray disposed at a top surface thereof. The sheetdischarge tray is configured to support the sheet discharged by adischarge roller. The second casing is disposed above the first casing.The second casing houses an image scanner configured to scan an image ona document. The support portion is disposed at the top surface of thefirst casing such that the support portion raises the second casing. Thesupport portion partially defines an opening that enables an access tothe sheet discharged on the sheet discharge tray. The third casing isconfigured to be removably attached to the image forming apparatus. Thethird casing is positioned outside the sheet discharge tray in a widthdirection perpendicular to a discharging direction of the sheet by thedischarge roller. The third casing includes an indication and a USB portthat are located at different surfaces of the third casing. Theindication indicates a location to which an external device is to bebrought into proximity to establish short-range wireless communicationbetween the image forming apparatus and the external device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus in anillustrative embodiment according to one or more aspects of thedisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an image forming apparatus in an illustrativeembodiment according to one or more aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an image forming apparatus in an illustrativeembodiment according to one or more aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a right side view of an image forming apparatus in anillustrative embodiment according to one or more aspects of thedisclosure.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus of FIG.3, taken along a line A-A, illustrating a discharged sheet stopper is ina use position.

FIG. 6 is a front view of an image forming apparatus in a firstmodification according to one or more aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus in a secondmodification according to one or more aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus in a thirdmodification according to one or more aspects of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Respective directions of front, rear, left, right, top/upper, andbottom/lower are defined in conjunction with an orientation in which animage forming apparatus 1 is intended to be used, as depicted in FIG. 1.A side of the image forming apparatus 1 having a front surface 21 may bedefined as a front side, and a side opposite to the front side may bedefined as a rear side. A left side and a right side of the imageforming apparatus 1 may be defined with respect to the image formingapparatus 1 as viewed from its front side. A side of the image formingapparatus 1 on which a second casing 3 is disposed is the upper side. Aside of the image forming apparatus 1 on which a first casing 2 isdisposed is the lower side. In the illustrative embodiment, theleft-right direction is an example of a width direction perpendicular toa discharging direction of a sheet by discharge rollers 28.

[Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus 1 accordingto an illustrative embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view of the imageforming apparatus 1. FIG. 3 is a top view of the image forming apparatus1. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the image forming apparatus 1. FIG. 5is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus 1, taken alonga line A-A of FIG. 3, illustrating a discharged sheet stopper 62 is in ause position. The image forming apparatus 1 employs an interior sheetdischarge system. The image forming apparatus 1 includes the firstcasing 2, the second casing 3, a support portion 4, and a control panel5.

The first casing 2 includes a cover 20 having a generally rectangularparallelepiped shape. The cover 20 defines an appearance of the firstcasing 2. The cover 20 includes the front surface 21, a rear surface 22,a left surface 23, a right surface 24, a top surface 25, and a bottomsurface 26. The cover 20 has an opening 211 at a lower portion of thefront surface 21. Through the opening 211, a sheet tray 27 is attachedor removed.

The first casing 2 houses the sheet tray 27 configured to support astack of one or more sheets, a conveying mechanism configured to conveya sheet from the sheet tray 27, an image forming unit configured to forman image on the sheet conveyed by the conveying mechanism, a sheetdischarge mechanism configured to discharge the sheet from the imageforming unit to an exterior of the first casing 2. The sheet dischargemechanism includes the discharge rollers 28 disposed at a mostdownstream portion thereof in a sheet conveying direction (e.g., thesheet discharging direction).

The sheet tray 27 is configured to move in a front-rear directionbetween a fully attached position (as depicted in FIG. 1) and aseparated position. At the fully attached position, the sheet tray 27 isfully attached to the first casing 2 through the opening 211. At theseparated position, the sheet tray 27 is at least partially separated orremoved from the first casing 2 toward the front through the opening211. The image forming unit may form an image based on, but not limitedto, an electrophotographic method, an inkjet method, or other method.

A sheet discharge tray 6 is located at the top surface 25 of the firstcasing 2. The sheet discharge tray 6 is configured to receive a sheetdischarged by the sheet discharge mechanism. The sheet discharge tray 6is formed on the top surface 25 of the first casing 2 into a convexshape curving upward from the rear side toward the front side. The sheethaving an image formed thereon may be discharged by the sheet dischargemechanism in a rear-to-front direction onto the sheet discharge tray 6.

The sheet discharge tray 6 includes a protruding portion 61 disposed ata central portion thereof in the width direction, and the dischargedsheet stopper 62 disposed at the protruding portion 61. The protrudingportion 61 protrudes upward relative to other area of the sheetdischarge tray 6. The protruding portion 61 has a trapezoidal shapewhose rear portion is inclined downwardly. The discharged sheet stopper62 has a generally rectangular plate shape. The discharged sheet stopper62 has a rear end portion that is pivotally supported by the protrudingportion 61. The discharged sheet stopper 62 is configured to movebetween an accommodated position (as depicted in FIG. 4) and a useposition (as depicted in FIG. 5). At the accommodated position, thedischarged sheet stopper 62 is flush with the upper end portion of theprotruding portion 61. At the use position, a front end portion of thedischarged sheet stopper 62 is raised. When the discharged sheet stopper62 is in the use position, a sheet discharged onto the sheet dischargetray 6 may contact the discharged sheet stopper 62, so that the positionof the sheet on the sheet discharge tray 6 may be regulated.

In a case where the sheet discharged on the sheet discharge tray 6 hascurling ends, in the width direction, that curl upward, the protrudingportion 61 raises and supports the central portion of the sheet in thewidth direction and may reduce the curling. When a stack of one or moresheets is supported on the sheet discharge tray 6, a space is providedbelow the stack near the protruding portion 61. The space may allow auser to hold the stack. The protruding portion 61 may not necessarily beprovided but may be omitted.

The image forming apparatus 1 includes a power switch 29 disposed at thetop surface 25 of the first casing 2. For easy recognition andoperation, the power switch 29 may preferably be disposed at a portionof the top surface 25 of the first casing 2 further toward the frontthan the discharged sheet stopper 62 and outside an area of the sheetdischarge tray 6 in the width direction. In the illustrative embodiment,the power switch 29 is located at a right front portion of the topsurface 25.

The second casing 3 is disposed above the first casing 2 and includes adocument scanner 31. The document scanner 31 includes a scanner casing32. The scanner casing 32 includes a document glass 321 on an uppersurface thereof. The document glass 321 is configured to support adocument. The scanner casing 32 houses an image scanner configured toscan an image on the document supported by the document glass 321. Thedocument scanner 31 further includes a document cover 33 disposed abovethe scanner casing 32. The document cover 33 is configured to pivotallymove about a pivot axis provided at a rear end portion of the documentcover 33 between a closed position and an open position. At the closedposition, a front end portion of the document cover 33 is pivotallymoved down and the document cover 33 covers the document glass 321. Atthe open position, the front end portion of the document cover 33 ispivotally moved up and the document cover 33 uncovers the document glass321. The document cover 33 includes an auto document feeder (“ADF”) 34disposed at an upper portion thereof. The ADF 34 is configured toautomatically feed a document to the document glass 321.

The support portion 4 includes a left support portion 41, a rightsupport portion 42, and a rear support portion 43. The left supportportion 41, the right support portion 42, and the rear support portion43 are respectively disposed at a left end portion, a right end portion,and a rear end portion of the top surface 25 of the first casing 2,raising the second casing 3. The second casing 3 is disposed above thesheet discharge tray 6 via a discharge space 63 in which a sheet isdischarged. The left support portion 41, the right support portion 42,the top surface 25 of the first casing 2, and a lower surface of thesecond casing 3 define an open portion 44 at a front side of the imageforming apparatus 1. The discharge space 63 is open toward the front,via the open portion 44. A user can be accessible to a sheet dischargedonto the sheet discharge tray 6 via the open portion 44.

In illustrative embodiment, the right support portion 42 includes afront end surface 42A that is located further to the rear than a frontend surface 3A of the second casing 3. The configuration may allow aright portion of the discharge space 63 to open widely, allowing a userto take a stack of one or more sheets discharged on the sheet dischargetray 6 from the right side of the image forming apparatus 1.

The control panel 5 has a substantially rectangular parallelepipedshape. The control panel 5 has a dimension in the width direction equalto or less than a half of the dimension of the second casing 3 in thewidth direction. The control panel 5 extends frontward from the frontend surface 3A of the second casing 3 such that a left end portion ofthe control panel 5 is flush with a left end portion of the secondcasing 3. The control panel 5 is configured to enable operations of theimage forming apparatus 1. The control panel 5 includes an upper surface51 on which a display, such as an LCD panel, and an input device, suchas a touchscreen and keys/buttons, configured to operate the imageforming unit and the image scanner, are disposed.

[NFC]

As depicted in FIG. 3, the first casing 2 has an NFC indication 71provided, e.g., printed, on the top surface 25 of the first casing 2.The NFC indication 71 indicates a location to which an external device(e.g., an IC card and a smartphone) having an NFC function is to bebrought into proximity to establish a wireless communication between theimage forming apparatus 1 and the external device. The size and theshape of the NFC indication 71 are not limited to a particular size andshape. The NFC indication 71 may be provided in a manner other thanprinting. For example, the NFC indication 71 may include translucentmember. The translucent member may illuminate the NFC indication 71 witha light source (e.g., a light-emitting diode) disposed under thetranslucent member. Using the NFC indication 71 as a guide, a user maybring the external device into proximity to the NFC indication 71,thereby establishing a wireless communication between the externaldevice and the image forming apparatus 1.

The NFC indication 71 may be located in an area B or an area C asdepicted in FIG. 3. The area B is a portion of the top surface 25 of thefirst casing 2 outside the sheet discharge tray 6 in the width directionand to the right of the sheet discharge tray 6. In other words, the areaB is a right portion of the top surface 25 of the first casing 2 outsidethe sheet discharge tray 6 in the width direction. The area C is aportion of the top surface 25 of the first casing 2 outside the sheetdischarge tray 6 in the width direction and to the left of the sheetdischarge tray 6. In other words, the area C is a left portion of thetop surface 25 of the first casing 2 outside the sheet discharge tray 6in the width direction. In the illustrative embodiment, the NFCindication 71 is located in the area B in front of the front end surface42A of the right support portion 42 with a distance between the frontend surface 42A and the NFC indication 71.

The NFC indication 71 may not be covered by a sheet discharged on thesheet discharge tray 6. This may ensure visibility of the NFC indication71. Further, since the NFC indication 71 is disposed closer to a user,the user may readily bring an external device into proximity to the NFCindication 71.

An NFC board 70 is located, facing the NFC indication 71, inside thefirst casing 2, to establish a favorable wireless communication betweenthe image forming apparatus 1 and the external device. In theillustrative embodiment, the NFC board 70 is disposed under the NFCindication 71 along an inner surface (e.g., a lower surface) of the topsurface 25 of the cover 20. The NFC board 70 is a circuit board having agenerally rectangular shape. The NFC board 70 includes a loop antenna 72and circuits, such as a communication circuit and a detection circuit.

The loop antenna 72 is disposed on an upper surface of the NFC board 70such that the loop antenna 72 is located under the NFC indication 71.The loop antenna 72 is configured to transmit to or receive from anexternal device, radio waves for NFC communication. The communicationcircuit is configured to process the radio waves transmitted to orreceived from the external device into signals. The detection circuit isconfigured to detect a current that flows in the loop antenna 72,thereby detecting intensities of the radio waves transmitted or receivedby the loop antenna 72.

[USB]

As depicted in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a USB port81 to which a terminal of a USB device, such as a USB memory and adigital camera, is connectable. The USB port 81 is located in thesupport portion 4 on the same side (e.g., a right side) of the imageforming apparatus 1 as the NFC indication 71 in the width direction. Inother words, the USB port 81 and the NFC indication 71 are locatedcloser to one end (e.g., a right end) of the image forming apparatus 1in the width direction than the other end (e.g., a left end) of theimage forming apparatus 1 opposite to the one end in the widthdirection. In the illustrative embodiment, the NFC indication 71 islocated on the right side of the image forming apparatus 1 in the widthdirection and the USB port 81 is located in the front end surface 42A ofthe right support portion 42. As long as a USB device is connectable tothe USB port 81 from the front, the position of the USB port 81 at thefront end surface 42A of the right support portion 42 may not be limitedto a particular position.

The right support portion 42 has a USB indication 82 provided, e.g.,printed, at a portion of the front end surface 42A near the USB port 81.As long as the USB indication 82 is located near the USB port 81, theUSB indication 82 may be provided, for example, at a portion of the topsurface 25 of the cover 20 below the USB port 81 and further to thefront than the USB port 81. The USB indication 82 or the USB port 81 mayhelp a user to recognize the location of the USB port 81.

The USB port 81 at the front end surface 42A of the right supportportion 42 may not be covered by a sheet discharged on the sheetdischarge tray 6. This may ensure visibility of the USB port 81. The NFCindication 71 and the USB port 81 are both disposed closer to the oneend (e.g., the right end) of the image forming apparatus 1 in the withdirection than the other end (e.g., the left end) of the image formingapparatus 1 in the width direction. This configuration may allow a userto readily identify both the NFC indication 71 and the USB port 81 bylooking in one direction. The NFC indication 71 and the USB port 81 arespaced in the up-down direction. This configuration may prevent orreduce interference between a USB device inserted into the USB port 81and an external device brought into proximity to the NFC indication 71.This may lead to increased operability.

Since the USB port 81 is provided at the front end surface 42A of theright support portion 42, a space in front of the right support portion42 may be effectively used. The front end surface 42A of the rightsupport portion 42 is located further toward the rear than the front endsurface 3A of the second casing 3. This configuration may prevent a USBdevice inserted into the USB port 81 from sticking out relative to thesecond casing 3 when viewed from the top, thereby preventing or reducingrisks of damaging the USB device as a user hits the USB device.

The USB port 81 may preferably be located at a position overlapping withthe first casing 2 when viewed from the top. This configuration mayprevent a USB device inserted into the USB port 81 from sticking outrelative to the first casing 2 when viewed from the top, therebypreventing or reducing risks of damaging the USB device as a user hitsthe USB device. In the illustrative embodiment, the USB port 81 at anyportion of the front end surface 42A of the second casing 3 is locatedat a position overlapping with the first casing 2 when viewed from thetop. Further, the USB port 81 at any portion of a front end surface ofthe left support portion 41 is located at a position overlapping withthe first casing 2 when viewed from the top.

The USB port 81 and the NFC indication 71 may be preferably located onone side (e.g., the right side) of the image forming apparatus 1 in thewidth direction and the control panel 5 may be disposed on the otherside (e.g., the left side) of the image forming apparatus 1 in the widthdirection. In other words, the USB port 81 and the NFC indication 71 maybe located closer to one end of the image forming apparatus 1 in thewidth direction and the control panel 5 may be located closer to theother end of the image forming apparatus 1 in the width direction. Sincethe one end and the other end of the image forming apparatus 1 areopposite to each other in the width direction, the USB port 81 and theNFC indication 71 may be located opposite to the control panel 5 in thewidth direction. The control panel 5 may not cover the USB port 81 orthe NFC indication 71. This may ensure visibility of the USB port 81 andthe NFC indication 71. In the illustrative embodiment, the USB port 81at any portion of the front end surface 42A of the right support portion42 is located opposite to the control panel 5 in the width direction.Further, the NFC indication 71 at any portion of the area B is locatedopposite to the control panel 5 in the width direction.

A USB board 80 is located inside the right support portion 42. The USBboard 80 is a circuit board having a generally rectangular shape. TheUSB board 80 includes the USB port 81 and circuits. The USB port 81 isdisposed on an upper surface of the USB board 80 and protrudesfrontward.

The power switch 29 is located on the same side (e.g., the right side)of the image forming apparatus 1 as the NFC indication 71 and the USBport 81 in the width direction. In other words, the power switch 29 islocated closer to the one end (e.g., the right end) of the image formingapparatus 1 in the width direction than the other end (e.g., the leftend) of the image forming apparatus opposite to the one end in the widthdirection. The NFC indication 71, the USB port 81, and the power switch29 are located closer to the one end of the image forming apparatus 1 inthe with direction than the other end of the image forming apparatus 1in the with direction. This configuration may allow a user to readilyidentify the NFC indication 71, the USB port 81, and the power switch 29by looking in one direction.

[First Modification]

FIG. 6 is a front view of an image forming apparatus 9 according to afirst modification. The image forming apparatus 9 according to the firstmodification is different from the image forming apparatus 1 withrespect to positions of a USB port 91, a USB indication 92, and a USBboard 93. Except for the positions of the USB port 91, the USBindication 92, and the USB board 93, the image forming apparatus 9 hasthe same or similar configuration as the image forming apparatus 1. Likenumerals in the drawings denote like components and the detaileddescription of those components described above is omitted, with respectto FIGS. 6-8.

The USB port 91 is located at the second casing 3 on the same side(e.g., the right side) of the image forming apparatus 9 as the NFCindication 71 in the width direction. In other words, the USB port 91and the NFC indication 71 are both located closer to one end (e.g., aright end) of the image forming apparatus 9 in the width direction thanthe other end (e.g., a left end) of the image forming apparatus 9opposite to the one end in the width direction. In the firstmodification, the NFC indication 71 is located on the right side of theimage forming apparatus 9 in the width direction and the USB port 91 islocated at a right end portion of the front end surface 3A of the secondcasing 3. As long as a USB device is connectable to the USB port 91 fromthe front, the USB port 91 may be disposed at any portion of a righthalf D of the front end surface 3A of the second casing 3.

The front end surface 3A of the second casing 3 has the USB indication92 near the USB port 91. The USB board 93 has the same or similarconfiguration as the USB board 80 and is located inside the secondcasing 3.

The USB port 91 at the front end surface 3A of the second casing 3 maynot be covered by a sheet discharged on the sheet discharge tray 6. Thismay ensure visibility of the USB port 91. The NFC indication 71 and theUSB port 91 are both located closer to the one end (e.g., the right end)of the image forming apparatus 9 in the width direction than the otherend of the image forming apparatus 9 in the width direction. Thisconfiguration may allow a user to readily identify both the NFCindication 71 and the USB port 91 by looking in one direction.

The NFC indication 71 and the USB port 91 are spaced in the up-downdirection. This configuration may prevent or reduce interference betweena USB device inserted into the USB port 91 and an external devicebrought into proximity to the NFC indication 71. This may lead toincreased operability.

The USB port 91 may preferably be located at a position overlapping withthe first casing 2 when viewed from the top. This configuration mayprevent a USB device inserted into the USB port 91 from sticking outrelative to the first casing 2 when viewed from the top, therebypreventing or reducing risks of damaging the USB device as a user hitsthe USB device. In the first modification, the front end surface 3A ofthe second casing 3 is located further to the rear than the frontsurface 21 of the first casing 2. The USB port 91 at any portion of theright half D of the front end surface 3A of the second casing 3 islocated at a position overlapping with the first casing 2 when viewedfrom the top.

The USB port 91 and the NFC indication 71 may be preferably locatedopposite to the control panel 5 in the width direction. Thisconfiguration may ensure operability of the control panel 5 because aUSB device inserted into the USB port 91 may not stick out over thecontrol panel 5. The control panel 5 may not cover the NFC indication71, which may ensure visibility of the NFC indication 71.

[Second Modification]

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus 10 accordingto a second modification. The image forming apparatus 10 according tothe second modification is different from the image forming apparatus 1with respect to the support portion 4 having a third casing 101 andpositions of an NFC indication 102, an NFC board 103, a USB port 104, aUSB indication 105, and a USB board 106. Except for the third casing 101and the positions of the components and indications 102-106, the imageforming apparatus 10 has the same or similar configuration as the imageforming apparatus 1.

The third casing 101 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shapewith the same width as the right support portion 42 of the supportportion 4. The third casing 101 serves as a portion of the supportportion 4. The third casing 101 is configured to be removably attachedto the image forming apparatus 10. The third casing 101 is attached tothe image forming apparatus 10 such that a rear surface of the thirdcasing 101 contacts the front end surface 42A of the right supportportion 42; a bottom surface of the third casing 101 contacts the topsurface 25 of the first casing 2; and a left surface of the third casing101 is flush with the left surface of the right support portion 42.

The NFC indication 102 and the USB port 104 are disposed at differentsurfaces of the third casing 101 at different levels (e.g., at differentpositions in the up-down direction). In FIG. 7, the third casing 101 hasa top surface 101A and a front surface 101B. The NFC indication 102 isprovided at the top surface 101A. The USB port 104 is disposed at thefront surface 101B. The front surface 101B of the third casing 101 hasthe USB indication 105 near the USB port 104.

Using the NFC indication 102 as a guide, a user may bring an externaldevice into proximity to the top surface 101A of the third casing 101,thereby establishing a wireless communication between the externaldevice and the image forming apparatus 10. The USB indication 105 or theUSB port 104 may help a user to recognize the location of the USB port104.

The NFC board 103 has the same or similar configuration as the NFC board70 and is located inside the third casing 101, facing the NFC indication102. The USB board 106 has the same or similar configuration as the USBboard 80 and is located inside the third casing 101.

In the second modification, the NFC indication 102 may not be covered bya sheet discharged on the sheet discharge tray 6. This may ensurevisibility of the NFC indication 102. Further, since the NFC indication102 is disposed closer to a user, the user may readily bring an externaldevice into proximity to the NFC indication 102.

The USB port 104 at the front surface 101B of the third casing 101 maynot be covered by a sheet discharged on the sheet discharge tray 6. Thismay ensure visibility of the USB port 104. The NFC indication 102 andthe USB port 104 are both located closer to the one end (e.g., the rightend) of the image forming apparatus 10 in the width direction than theother end (e.g., the left end) of the image forming apparatus 10 in thewidth direction. This configuration may allow a user to readily identifyboth the NFC indication 102 and the USB port 104 by looking in onedirection. The NFC indication 102 and the USB port 104 are spaced in theup-down direction. This configuration may prevent or reduce interferencebetween a USB device inserted into the USB port 104 and an externaldevice brought into proximity to the NFC indication 102. This may leadto increased operability.

The USB port 104 may preferably be located at a position overlappingwith the first casing 2 when viewed from the top. This configuration mayprevent a USB device inserted into the USB port 104 from sticking outrelative to the first casing 2 when viewed from the top, therebypreventing or reducing risks of damaging the USB device as a user hitsthe USB device. In the second modification, the front surface 101B ofthe third casing 101 is located further to the rear than the frontsurface 21 of the first casing 2. The USB port 104 at any portion of thefront surface 101B of the third casing 101 is located at a positionoverlapping with the first casing 2 when viewed from the top.

The USB port 104 and the NFC indication 102 may be preferably locatedopposite to the control panel 5 in the width direction. The controlpanel 5 may not cover the USB port 104 or the NFC indication 102. Thismay ensure visibility of the USB port 104 and the NFC indication 102. Inthe second modification, the third casing 101 is located opposite to thecontrol panel 5 in the width direction. The USB port 104 and the NFCindication 102 at the third casing 101 is located opposite to thecontrol panel 5 in the width direction.

The third casing 101 is configured to be removably attached to the imageforming apparatus 10. In some embodiments, an image forming apparatusmay be configured to have NFC and USB functions by attaching the thirdcasing 101 to the image forming apparatus or not to have the NFC and USBfunctions by removing the third casing 101 from the image formingapparatus. The image forming apparatus with different specifications maythus be produced readily.

[Third Modification]

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus 11 accordingto a third modification. The image forming apparatus 11 according to thethird modification is different from the image forming apparatus 10according to the second modification with respect to the shape of athird casing 111 and positions of an NFC indication 112 and an NFC board113. Except for the shape of the third casing 111 and the positions ofthe NFC indication 112 and the NFC board 113, the image formingapparatus 11 has the same or similar configuration as the image formingapparatus 10.

The third casing 111 has the same width as the right support portion 42of the support portion 4. The third casing 111 serves as a portion ofthe support portion 4. The third casing 111 is configured to beremovably attached to the image forming apparatus 11. The third casing111 is attached to the image forming apparatus 11 such that a rearsurface of the third casing 111 contacts the front end surface 42A ofthe right support portion 42; a bottom surface of the third casing 111contacts the top surface 25 of the first casing 2; and a left surface ofthe third casing 111 is flush with the left surface of the right supportportion 42. The third casing 111 includes an incline surface 111A, anupper surface 111B, and a front surface 111C. The inclined surface 111Aextends frontward and downward from a lower front end portion of thesecond casing 3. The upper surface 111B extends frontward from a frontend portion of the incline surface 111A. The front surface 111C extendsdownward from a front end portion of the upper surface 111B.

The NFC indication 112 and the USB port 104 are disposed at differentsurfaces of the third casing 111 at different levels (e.g., at differentpositions in the up-down direction). In FIG. 8, the NFC indication 112is provided at the incline surface 111A of the third casing 111. Similarto the second modification, the USB port 104 is disposed at the frontsurface 111C of the third casing 111. The USB indication 105 is providedat the front surface 111C of the third casing 111 near the USB port 104.

Using the NFC indication 112 as a guide, a user may bring an externaldevice into proximity to the inclined surface 111A of the third casing111, thereby establishing a wireless communication between the externaldevice and the image forming apparatus 11. The USB indication 105 or theUSB port 104 may help a user to recognize the location of the USB port104. The NFC board 113 has the same or similar configuration as the NFCboard 70 and is located inside the third casing 111, facing the NFCindication 112.

The configuration of the third modification may obtain effects similarto those of the second modification. In addition, a user may face theincline surface 111A of the third casing 111. This configuration mayallow the user to readily identify the NFC indication 112 and bring anexternal device into proximity to the NFC indication 112.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a firstcasing housing an image forming unit configured to form an image on asheet, the first casing including a sheet discharge tray disposed at atop surface thereof, the sheet discharge tray being configured tosupport the sheet discharged by a discharge roller; a second casingdisposed above the first casing, the second casing housing an imagescanner configured to scan an image on a document; a support portiondisposed at the top surface of the first casing such that the supportportion raises the second casing, the support portion partially definingan opening that enables an access to the sheet discharged on the sheetdischarge tray; an indication located at a portion of one of the topsurface of the first casing and the support portion, the indicationpositioned outside the sheet discharge tray in a width directionperpendicular to a discharging direction of the sheet by the dischargeroller, the indication indicating a location to which an external deviceis to be brought into proximity to establish short-range wirelesscommunication between the image forming apparatus and the externaldevice; a USB port disposed at a portion of one of the second casing andthe support portion closer to the one end than the other end in thewidth direction, the USB port being located at a different position inan up-down direction from the indication; and a control panel configuredto enable operations of the image forming apparatus, the control panelbeing located above the first casing, wherein the indication and the USBport are located between one end of the image forming apparatus and acenter of the image forming apparatus in the width direction, andwherein the control panel is located between another end of the imageforming apparatus, which is opposite to the one end of the image formingapparatus, and the center of the image forming apparatus.